Frame

ABSTRACT

The frame comprises a pair of parallelly disposed side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side; a pair of parallelly disposed end members fastened perpendicularly to the side members, each of the end members having a concavely curved groove cut recessly and coextensively with the interior terminal side; a detachable, engageable locking means including a substantially J-shaped locking strip operable to selectively, substantially congruently engage the groove of the end member; and means operable to retain the locking strip in the groove.

United States Patent n91 Poole 1 Oct. 2, 1973 1 FRAME [76] Inventor: Clarence A. Poole, 3 N. 40th Ave., Pnmary Emmmer pamck Lawson Yakima, Wash.- 98902 Attorney-John W. Kraft [57] ABSTRACT The frame comprises a pair of parallelly disposed side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side; a pair of parallelly disposed end members fastened perpendicularly to the side members, each of the end members having a concavely curved groove cut recessly and coextensively with the interior terminal side; a detachable, engageable locking means including a substantially .l-shaped locking strip operable to selectively, substantially congruently engage the groove of the end member; and means operable to retain the locking strip in the groove.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 FRAME FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to frames and, more particularly, to frames operable to tension fabrics, plastics, and the like therein, and to permit retensioning such materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Frames for tensioning fabrics, plastics, screens, and the like have generally used and employed interlocking members, about which such materials are wrapped or bound, which members engage a frame body member. The interlocking members are usually driven into the body members. In the several types of interlocking members used in the prior art, the members with material thereon are fi red or locked into the frame body.

' Fabrics and particularly plastic materials are greatly at} fe cted by changes in temperature, and, therefore, tend to expand and to contract to such an extent that it is to advantage to retension the material within the frame from time to time to avoid distortions in the material or damage thereto". Additionally, sharp and abrupt corners of interlocking portions tend to cut fabri c and plastic materials. I I

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide interlocking means in frame construction which is selectively locked and unlocke d from the frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing fabric, plastic, and the like materials in a frame. 7 v

These and other objects shall become apparent from the description following, it being understood that modifications may be made without affecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally, the frame comprises a pair of parallelly disposed side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side; a pair of parallelly disposed end members fastened perpendicularly to the side members, each of the end members having a concavely curved groove cut recessly and c o'extensively with the interior terminal side; a detachable, engageablelocking means including a substantially .I-shaped locking strip operable to seiectively, substantially congruently engage the groove of the end member; and means operable to retain the locking strip in the groove.

A further embodiment of the frame generally comprises a pair of side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side, and a pair of and members, one of which includes a supply roller having a ratchet and pawl means di sposed within the end'member, and the end member opposite includes a suitable supply roller having means urging the supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from saidratchet and pawl urged roller.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

BRIEF- DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is'a top plan view of the tension frame of this invention.

configuration of the further embodiment of this inven' tlOn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to the FIG. 1, the frame of this invention is shown to advantage and generally identified by the numeral 10. The frame 10 includes a pair of parallelly disposed side members 11, and a pair of parallelly disposed end members 12 fastened perpendicularly to the side members 11. The frame 10 is provided with sheeting 13,

such as wire fabric, vinyl film, and the like. As shown' in the FIG. 3 a slot 14 is disposed rectilinearly within the interior terminal side of each of the respective side members 11 to receive the terminal edges of the sheeting 13. Each of the slots may include a substantially U- shaped sheeting guide 15 to more closely retain the slot engaging edges of the sheeting 13.

Referring now to the FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the end members 12 includes a sheeting locking means assembly 16. The locking means assembly 16 includes a concavely curved groove 17 cut recessly and coextensively with the interior terminal side of the end member 12. The entranceway 18 of the groove 17 is distally narrower than the diameter .of the groove itself. A V- shapedlocking lug 19 is disposed rectilinearly, coextensively along the interior terminal side at the upper terminal corner edge of the end member 12 to one side of the groove 17. The locking means assembly 16 also includes a detachable locking strip 20 being coextensive with the groove 17. The locking strip 20 is preferably made of a semirigid resilient material and having a substantially J-shaped configuration in which the curved portion 20' of the J is of a substantially similar curvature as the curved portion of the groove 17. The neck portion of the J-shaped locking strip 20 has a substantially U-shaped configuration substantially similar to the thicknessbetween one of the walls of the entranceways l8 and the uppermost adjacent terminal side of the end member 12 to form a return portion 21. The terminal end of the return portion 21 of the locking strip 20 is provided with a lock lug engaging dog 22. The lock 22 is operable to engage the lug l9 and be held by the compressive force of the return portion 21 on the contacting portion of the end member 12. In operation, sheeting 13 may be disposed to cover the groove 17 with a portion of the sheeting 13 projecting from the groove 17. The locking strip 20 may be disposed in the groove 17, such that the curved portion 20 may be held until the rolled portion of the strip 20 is fully congruent with the curved portion of the groove 17, and the dog 22 is engaged with the lug 19, as set out above. The locking strip 20 may be retained by a peg 20" disposed through a hole (not shown) disposed in the side member 1] to align rectilinearly with the groove 17. The sheeting 13 may be fastened at the opposing end member 12 by means of an identical locking means assembly 16.

Referring now to the FIG. 4, a further embodiment of the locking means assembly 16' comprises a supply roller (not shown) mounted on an axle 23 which is coextensive with the end member 12 and a ratchet and paw] means 24 fastened at one of the terminal ends of the axles 23. Sheeting 13 may be fastened at one of its terminal ends to the supply roller (not shown). The ratchet and pawl means 24 includes a circular ratchet 25 fastened at one of the terminal ends of the axle 23 to ride within the enclosure formed by the end member 12. A pawl 26 operable to suitably restrict the ratchet 25 from relaxing the pawl 26 may be fastened on a pivot ratchet 27 fastened within the end member 12. The axle 23 and the ratchet 25 may be actuated by a suitable adjusting knob which may include a screw slot (not shown) at the end adjacent the ratchet and pawl means 24. In operation, the sheeting 13 may be fastened to the end member 12 having locking means 16 opposite the end member having locking means 16', and the sheeting 13 may be suitably tightened by rotating the ratchet and pawl means 24. The frame may also include a pair of locking means 16' disposed in each of the end members 12. It is also to be understood that the locking means 16 and the locking means 16' may be used in the frame with a respective end member 12.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies the concepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes the various objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes could be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A frame comprising a pair of parallelly disposed side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side of said side member;

a pair of parallelly disposed end members fastened perpendicularly to said side members, each of said end members having a coneavely curved groove cut recessly and coextensively with the interior terminal side of said end member, the entranceway of said groove being distally narrower than the widest diameter of said groove; and

I ing said J-shaped locking strip includes a locking peg operable to slidably engage a hole in said side member and slidably, rectilinearly engage a curved portion of said locking strip.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grooves of said side members each include a substantially U- shaped sheeting guide.

4. A frame comprising a pair of side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side of said side member; and a pair of end members, one of said members including a supply roller having a ratchet and pawl means disposed within said end member, and an end member opposite said ratchet and pawl supply roller having a suitable supply roller, said supply roller including means urging said supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from said ratchet and pawl urged roller, said means for urging said supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from said ratchet and paw] roller being a ratchet and pawl.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said grooves of said side members each include a substantially U- shaped sheeting guide.

6. A frame comprising a pair of side members each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side of said side members, a pair of end members, one of said members including a supply roller having a ratchet and pawl means disposed within said end member and an end member opposite said ratchet and pawl supply roller having a suitable supply roller, said supply roller including means urging said supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from said ratchet and pawl urged roller being a spring urging means being connected to said supply roller and to said end member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said grooves of said side members each include a substantially U- shaped sheeting guide.

III 1* 

1. A frame comprising a pair of parallelly disposed side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side of said side member; a pair of parallelly disposed end members fastened perpendicularly to said side members, each of said end members having a concavely curved groove cut recessly and coextensively with the interior terminal side of said end member, the entranceway of said groove being distally narrower than the widest diameter of said groove; and a detachably engageable locking means including a substantially J-shaped locking strip made of a semirigid resilient material, said locking strip being operable to selectively, substantially congruently engage said grooves of said end members, and having means operable to retain said locking strip in said groove.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means locking said J-shaped locking strip includes a locking peg operable to slidably engage a hole in said side member and slidably, rectilinearly engage a curved portion of said locking strip.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grooves of said side members each include a substantially U-shaped sheeting guide.
 4. A frame comprising a pair of side members, each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side of said side member; and a pair of end members, one of said members including a supply roller having a ratchet and pawl means disposed within said end member, and an end member opposite said ratchet and pawl supply roller having a suitable supply roller, said supply roller including means urging said supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from said ratchet and pawl urged roller, said means for urging said supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from said ratchet and pawl roller being a ratchet and pawl.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said grooves of said side members each include a substantially U-shaped sheeting guide.
 6. A frame comprising a pair of side members each having a rectilinearly disposed groove cut into the interior terminal side of said side members, a pair of end members, one of said members including a supply roller having a ratchet and pawl means disposed within said end member and an end member opposite said ratchet and pawl supply roller having a suitable supply roller, said supply roller including means urging said supply roller in an opposite direction of rotation from said ratchet and pawl urged roller being a spring urging means being connected to said supply roller and to said end member.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said grooves of said side members each include a substantially U-shaped sheeting guide. 